5/16- GATSBY....LUSH AND HEARTBREAKING

Courtesy photo
Gatsby

May 16 2013 

THE GREAT GATSBY: - LUSH - ACHINGLY ROMANTIC

O.K -- Here it is. This Epic puts us on the edge of the seat. The movie is perfection. It is hugely entertaining and achingly romantic. The fantastic performances, the expert directing and excellent writing keep you glued to the screen. I enjoyed seeing it in regular "D" and also "3D". Each method works perfectly. 

Yep - this movie is truly one of the great films of all time. You'll want to stand up and cheer. I was stuck to my chair and so was the audience. Hardly anyone left the auditorium to go to the bathroom or to get more popcorn. It's a screen vision that will be talked about for years. And guess what - this movie is at the Top of the Charts. 

So stop talking the film down. Baz Luhrman has as usual, turned out an bright and amazing older story into something new and fresh. During the entire film I became transfixed. Luhrman's vision is amazing - and the Star (Gatsby-Dicaprio) gives us a fantastic performance. This new version is pretty much the same as you might read in the classic novel. Luhrman's flair certainly brought new and deeper dimension to this incredibly visual film.

You'll be transfixed by the sheer artistry on the screen.  And the grandiose sets and the detailed period dresses are astonishing. Please don't worry about the music -it fits exactly what they had planned for Jay-Z's track work. Yes, it's musical magic. Loved it! 

It comes down to this: Everything in this "Gatsby" is stunning. The slight modern interpretation doesn't stray much from the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald tale. 

You won't forget this spectacle. Take my word for it. Hey - it's adapted from one of the greatest novels of all time.

Rating: Four Glasses of Champagne!!!! (highest rating) -trademarked- 

(((Lee Hartgrave has contributed many articles to the San Francisco Chronicle Sunday Datebook and he produced and hosted a long-running Arts Segment on PBS KQED)))